Railroad crossing



Patented Aug. 26, 1930 UNITED STATES ALBERT D. KETCHUM, SR., F CHICAGO,ILLINOIS RAILROAD CROSSING Application lediuly 2, 1929. lSerial No.375,542.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in railroadcrossings and has for its principal object the provision of an improvedarrangement of this character which will be simple in use and economicalto manufacture.

The salient object .of my invention is to provide a railroad crossingfor intersection traclrways which will be arranged in a man- '10 'nersuch that the usual frog arrangements may be dispensed with.

An object of the invention, ancillary to the foregoing, is to provide acrossing arrangement for intersecting trackways which ik l5 will bearranged in a manner such that the noise usually attendant tothecrossing of.

one trackway by a train on another trackway will be substantiallyeliminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of theabove described character which will be constructed lin a manner suchthat the intersecting trackways will be disposed in diierent horizontalplanes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an arrangementwhereby one of the trackways may be moved to and from position relativeto the other of the trackways dependent upon which of the trackways isto 0 carry the succeeding train.

Other objects will appear hereinfter,

The invention consists in the novelcombination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan elevational view of a preferred form of constructionfor my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 on Fig.1;

. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 on Fig.2; and

- Fig. 4 isa sectional view taken substantially on the line 4 4 on Fig.8.

In the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred form of construction formy invention is illustrated, 10 indicates a trackway comprising parallelrails 11 and 12 mounted on the usual ties 13 that are imbedded ina roadbed formed in the approved manner.

`Another trackway 14 is depicted in the.. accompanying drawing which isintended to cross the trackway 10 and this trackway includes parallelrail sections 15 and 16 that are disposed on one side of the traclrway10. Aligned with the rails'l and 16 are rails 17 and 18 which also forma portion of the trackway. 14 but which are `disposed on the oppositeside ofthe trackway 10.l The rails 15y andr 16, and `17 and 18 aremounted on ties 19 Vwhich are mounted in a road bed ofapprovedconstruction. The road bed supporting the traclrway' 10 is intended tobe disposed at a. lower horizontal level than the road bed supportingthe trackway 14.

My improved invention resides in the oon-v struction employed forinterconnecting the track sections 15 and 17, and 16 and 18 and thisarrangement extends across the trackway 10 and includes the followingmechanism. Rail sections 2O and 21 are provided which respectivelyextend between the rail sections 15 and 17, and 16 and 18. As is bestillustrated in Figs 1 and 2 the rail section 20 has a substantiallyL-shaped formation 22 provided thereon at the end thereof disposedadjacent the rail 15 and the stem portion of this L-shaped formation ispreferably disposed outwardly with respect to the trackway 14. Aprojection 23 is provided on the rail sectionl which extends along thestem portion 22 interiorly thereof to the base portion of said L-*shapedformation. The juncture of the portion 23 with the rail section 20 andthe juncture of the projection 22 with the `-`rail section 15 aretapered in a'vertical plane as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 90and the rail section 2O is arranged in a manner set forth hereinafterfor movement upwardly away from the rail section 17 and these taperedportions which are indicated by 24 are inclined at an angle which willpermit this movement, it being understood that the portions which werejust set forth are arranged for movement in a vertical plane inasmuch asthe support for the rail section 2O is arranged intermediate the endsthereof. 100

The juncture between the rail section 20 and the rail section 17 isarranged in a manner similaito that set forth. Similarly the railsections 16 and 21, and 18 and 21 are joined in a like manner.

The rail sections 2O and 21 are mounted on a plate 25 which embodiessufficient rigidity to properly support .these rail sections. EX-tending through the co-extensive projecting portions of the railsections 2O and 1'5, and 21 and 16 is a shaft 2.6 which is fixed totheprojections on the rail sections 20 and 21 but which is rotatable in theprojections on the rail sections 15 and 16.

A pit 27 is formed below theendofthe rail sections 15 .and 16. In thispit 27 suitable motive ,means such as an electric motor 28 is arranged.In vthis connection I may provide wires 'leading from :the motor 28 toblock systems associated with the trackways 13 and ,14 so that when atrain is approach- ,ing lonthetrackway 137 .the motor 28 will beenergized from a suitable source `of electric power and the railsections L2O and r21 lifted into vertical position. I may accordingly7arrange lthe r.circuit in such a manner that after the train has passed'the intersection and has passed out'of the .block on the trlackway 13.the motor 28 will 'be deenergized and in `this manner the tracksections 2() and 21 lowered Vinto :horizontal position. A shaft 29 Aissupported in bearings 30 and 31 carried by the upper plate A32 coveringthe pit 27. A gear 33 is fixed on 4the shaft29 and meshes ywith a gear34 on'the shaft of the vmotor 28. Fixed'on the shaft26 is a-,sprocket 35and fixed on the shaft 29 in alignment with the sprocket 35 is asprocket 36 and a chain 37 extends between these sprockets. A sprocketf38 is fixed onthe shaft 26 and a sprocket 39 is ,fixed on the shaft29anda chain 40 extends between these sprockets. IVhen the motor 128 visvset 'in operation, movement thereof is `transmitted through the gear34E to the gear 33 to the shaft 29 thence through the sprockets 36 .and39 to the .chains 37 and 40i'to the sprockets 35 and 38 tothe shaft'26.When the motor/28 is rotated inthe proper direction/the shaft'f26 isrotated so as to move the Aplate 25 andthe rail sections 2O and21upwardlyand this movement is carried out until 4these lrail sectionsextend substantially perpendiculan It is manifest that the railsections'20 and Q21 and theplate25 extendfor an appreciable distancelfrom the pivotal Amountings vthereof and itis. therefore, veryadvantageous that the weight thereof be Icounterbalanced and this isaccomplished in'the following manner. yExtending across'thepit 27'is ashaft *11 which isjournaledinbearings 42 and Fixedon 'the shaft 26 is a'gear 44 whichmes'hes with a'gear l5 [fiXed/onthe shaft 41. A gear 46 isliked on'the shaft '26 and meshes w,ith a gear t4? lfixedonthe shaft 41."llherefore, when the shaft 26 is rotated in the manner hereA intoforeset forth movement thereof will be transmitted through the gears 1111and 46 to the gears and 47 and thence to the shaft 41. Fixed on theshaft a1 is a weight 4S which embodies a mass suflicient to effectivelycounterbalance the overhanging of the rail sections 2O and 21 and theplate 25. Due to this counter balance arrangement very little power willbe required to operate the shaft 26 to :elevate the rai-l sections -20and 21 in the 1nanner set forth.

It is ,apparent that when the rail sections 20 and 21 are arranged inthe perpendicular position described unixnpeded passage may be had overthe trackway 13. However, when the device is operated so .as to positionthe rail sections 2O and 21 in the position illustrated it is apparentthat passage over the track way 13 is closed but that vpassage from therail sections 15 and 16 to the rail sections 17 and 18 over the .track.sections 20 and 21 is possible. It is, .iiln-ncfore. appa rent th at.the intersection of crossing railways maybe a-rranged in a manner suchthat the usual frog structures may be eliminated.

A reenforcing plate such as that ,indicated at 49 may be provided at thejuncture'between .the rail sections 2() .and 21 with the rail sections.17 and 18 which is .ob\iously the separating parts of these railsections.

In order to insure proper guidingof a train onto the device the guidingmechanism generically indicated by 50 is associated with the tracksections 15 and`16 which track sections are disposed yon the side ofthedevice from which the train is to approach. This guiding structureincludes a substantially '.V-sljiaped formation 51 which has the apexthereof extended in the .direction from which the .105

train is approaching and associated with the .outer end of one of thearms of the V-shaped structure 51 isa guide plate 5.2 which directs theflanges on the ,tires of the wheels of the train into proper engagementwith the inner sides of the rail sections 2O and 21,

A'block system of approved form is preferab'ly associated with thedevice and this block system .is arranged so lthat when the railsections 20 and 21 are in the position illustrated in the drawing ,thesignals Will ybesc-stagainst trains approaching on the `track way 13.However, when the .railsections 20 and21fare .in the vertical fpositionalluded to .these blocksignals will be set against .trains approachingon the trackway 14.

Vhile yI v'have illustrated and described the preferred form of.construction for .carnying my `invention into effect, A,this is capableof avail myself of such variations andmodifications as come within thepended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character stated, a trackway comprising railmembers, supporting means for said rail members, a second trackwaydisposed above and extended across said iirst-mentioned trackway, saidlast-mentioned traclrway comprising movable rail sections havingangularly formed end portions adapted to provide connection withcorresponding angularly formed end portions in the stationary railsaligned with said movable rail sections, supporting means for saidmovable rail sections including a platev member attached to said railsections at the under sides thereof and movable therewith, meansproviding connection between said plate member and said rail sections, arotatable shaft disposed at one end of said rail sections and journaledin the end portions of corresponding stationary rails, means for fixingcorresponding end portions of said movable rail sections to said shaft,a housing disposed below said shaft, a` plate member disposed at the topof said housing, a rotatable shaft carried by said last-mentioned platemember, means providing connection between said lastmentioned plate andsaid last-ment-ioned shaft, means providing connect-ion between said.first-named shaft and said second-named shaft, means for moving saidrail sections and attached plate in a vertical plane, said lastmentionedmeans including power actuated means disposed in said housing, and meansproviding connection between said power actuated means and saidsecond-named shaft whereby when said second-named shaft is rotated saidfirst-named shaft will be rotated and said rail sections moved in avertical plane away from said first-named trackway.

2. In a device of the character stated, a traclrway comprising railmembers, support- 'ing means for said rail members, a second trackwaydisposed above and extended across said rst-mentioned trackway, saidlast-mentioned trackway comprising movable tail sections havingangularly formed end portions adapted to provide connection withcorresponding angularly formed end portions in the stationaryrailsaligned with said movable rail sections,supporting means for saidmovable rail sections including a plate member attached to said railsections at the under sides thereof and movable therewith, meansproviding connection between said plate member and said rail sections, arotatable shaft disposed at one end of said rail sections and journaledin the end portions of corresponding stationary rails, means for fixingcorresponding end portions of said movable rail sections to said shaft,a housing disposed below said shaft, a plate member disposed at scope ofthe apthe top of said housing, a rotatable shaft carried by saidlast-mentioned late member, means providing connection etween saidlast-mentioned plate and said last-mentioned shaft, means providingconnection between said first-named shaft and said second-named shaft, athird rotatable shaft, said last-mentioned shaft being journaled in saidhousing, means connected to said last-mentioned shaft forcounterbalancing the weight of said rail sections and attached plate,means providing connection between said shaft and said first-mentionedshaft, means for moving said rail sections and attached plate in avertical plane, said last-mentioned means including power actuatedmeans, means providing connection between said power actuated means andsaid first-mentioned shaft, and means for guiding and positioning saidmovable rail sections with respect to adjoining stationary rail members.

In testimony whereof I a'ix my signature.

ALBERT D. KETCHUM, SR.

third-mentioned EGO lil

